A wide variety of trailers exist today for towing behind a vehicle. Boat trailers and camper trailers are two types in particular that are quite common. Typically, the trailer has a trailer tongue at a front end of the trailer with a cup-shaped socket portion. To tow the trailer behind the vehicle, the socket portion is placed over a trailer hitch ball attached to the rear of the vehicle.
One significant problem that often arises for trailer owners and trailer users occurs when the trailers are detached from the vehicles and left unattended. Trailers are left unattended in a variety of situations including times when the trailers are left for storage and times when the trailers are left at sites temporarily such as at a campsite. Sometimes trailers are left unattended alongside the road such as occurs when a trailer has a flat tire and must be left while a service station is sought. Unattended trailers are subject to unauthorized towing because the ball and socket arrangement is fairly common and typically has standard dimensions. Anyone having a trailer hitch ball attached to a vehicle usually can place the socket portion of an unattended trailer onto the ball and tow the trailer away.
Some steps taken in the past to secure an unattended trailer against unauthorized removal include attaching the trailer to an immovable object such as a tree with, for example, a chain and padlock. This method, however, always requires the presence of a nearby immovable object that permits a chain to be attached. Another known method to deter unauthorized towing is to employ a device which attempts to disable the socket portion of the trailer by preventing insertion of a trailer hitch ball. One problem with these devices is that they do not prevent movement of the trailer.
It is clear that there has existed a long and unfilled need in the prior art for a trailer security device to prevent unauthorized towing or movement of the trailer that solves these and other problems associated with the prior art.